This book describes an source evaluation method that is more like what news fact checkers use. This process may feel more natural and quicker than traditional library source-evaluation tools. Caulfield outlines "four moves and a habit" for fact checking online information.
1. Investigate the source (using the four moves)
- "Check for previous work" - Make use of existing fact checking sources like Snopes, FactCheck.org, etc. for news, or, for scholarly research, check for additional background information in encyclopedias, books, or journal articles.
- "Go upstream" - find the original source by using references (or a google search) to link back to the primary source.
- "Read laterally" - by searching for what other sources have to say about the same topic
- "Circle back" - using what you have learned, take a more informed path through the fact checking process
2. Trade up to more credible sources
- If multiple sources say the same thing, select the source that seems the most credible or the primary source to cite in your paper.
- Circle back to a previous stage of the fact checking process
The habit is to "check your emotion" - if something it triggering a strong emotional reaction, it is probably a good idea to fact check the information before sharing.
